Seth (aka Set)

Depiction / Description / Symbol: Seth was depicted with the body of a manand the head of Beast resembling an aardvark. Occasionally seen in the form of a crocodile

Jurisdiction: Seth was described as being God of Evil, Chaos, Desert & Storms

Mythical Family or Relatives: Seth was believed to be a younger son of the Earth God, Geb, and the Sky Goddess, Nut. He was the brother of Osiris, Isis and Nephthys. He was also the husband of his sister Nephthys. Legend tells that the jealous Seth murdered his brother Osiris.

Information about the Egyptian God SethThe Egyptian God, Seth, was seen as the God of Evil, Chaos, Desert & Storms and therefore immensely powerful. Seth was one of the Ennead, the collective name given to the nine original deities (Gods and Goddesses) of the cosmogony of Heliopolis (the birthplace of the Gods) in the creation myths and legends. Seth was son of Geb and Nut and it was said in the myth that tore himself from his mother's womb in his hurry to be born. Set murdered his brother Osiris and scattered his body in fourteen pieces around the world. Isis find the pieces and Osiris is resurrected for one day. After he murdered his brother Osiris he became strongly associated with evil and in turn with the color red. Red represented blood and the desert. People with red hair and any other strangers who had travelled from different lands to Egypt also came under his jurisdiction and he was also considered to be a God of Foreigners, many of which were considered enemies, strengthening his association with evil and betrayal.

Description & Depiction of the Egyptian God Seth - Part Human & Part AnimalThe Egyptian Gods or Goddesses, such as Seth, were often depicted as being part human and part animal. In the description of the Egyptian God Seth he was most frequently depicted with the body of a human and with with the head of an animal - an evil-looking Beast. He was the husband of his sister, Nephthys. Incest was seen as an acceptable element in the lives of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, retaining the sacred bloodline.

The Egyptian the God Seth - Creation and RelativesThe early Egyptian priests evolved a creation myth, or Cosmogony, to explain how some of the Gods and Goddesses came into being. The early Egyptian priests then evolved a Family tree, the relatives of the main Egyptian Gods, like Seth, to explain how some of the Gods and Goddesses were related. According to legend jealous Seth (or Set) murdered his elder brother Osiris who brought back to life (resurrected) by Isis.

Temple of SethThe Temples dedicated to Seth, the God of Evil, Chaos, Desert & Storms, were believed to be the dwelling place of this famous Egyptian God. Only the Pharaoh and the Priests of Seth were allowed inside the temple and the priests would undergo ritual purification in a deep stone pool before they entered the Inner Sanctum of the Temple. This not only cleansed them but also gave them contact with the primeval moisture of life. Ordinary Egyptians were only allowed to come to the gates, or forecourt, of the temple of Seth to pay homage and offer gifts to the God / Goddess. The Priests of Seth would collect the gifts and say prayers on behalf of the person in the confines of the temple. The priests of Seth, the God of Evil, Chaos, Desert & Storms, would conduct ceremonies, sacrifices and chant magical incantations, sometimes referred to as spells. The temple of Seth would consist of heavy gates which accessed a massive hall with great stone columns, and then a series of many other rooms through which processions of priests would pass. These rooms, or chambers, were lit by candles and incense would be burnt to purify the air of the Temple. The chambers gradually decreased in size, the lighting in the temple was deliberately and significantly reduced to create an atmosphere of deepening mystery until the priests reached the chapel and the shrine which contained the Naos. The Naos was the stone tabernacle inside the shrine which housed the great Statue of Seth, the God of Evil, Chaos, Desert & Storms.

The Statue of SethThe large statue of the God Seth, the God of Evil, Chaos, Desert & Storms was situated in the inner sanctum of the Egyptian temple. The statue of Seth would have been depicted with the body of a man / woman and the head of Beast. This sacred statue, in the dwelling place of the God, was the embodiment of Seth. Food and drink would be offered to the God. The High Priest of Seth, would conduct ceremonies and offer prayers and incantations but there was another important priest, called the Medjty, who was responsible for the toiletries. The statue of Seth would have been washed and oiled. The statue was then dressed in fine linen and eye make-up, powder and rouge was applied and sacred oil rubbed on the forehead of the statue. The statue of Seth, with its head of the Beast, was only seen by ordinary Egyptians at important festivals when the effigy was paraded in magnificent processions.

The Egyptian God SethEach section of addresses all topics and provides interesting facts and information about the Golden Age of Pharaohs and the famous Gods and Goddesses of Egypt. The Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and facts provided about the fascinating subject of Egyptian Gods and the Pharaoh Tutankhamun!